Ford India to Accelerate Export Strategy

Ford India announced an accelerated export strategy in India to adapt to the country’s changing market conditions and strong global demand for small cars and sport utility vehicles. Working to match production with demand, Ford India will focus increasingly on production for export to more than 50 markets around the world.

Ford says that over the next four to five years the company will have the ability to export a substantial portion of its total production volume. Dave Schoch, Ford Group VP and President Asia Pacific said, “Exports from India have always been an integral part of that strategy and will help us to stay on track for turbocharged growth in the region, while going further to provide our customers with the vehicles that they want and value.”

The growth of India as a manufacturing base comes as smaller vehicles, such as those produced at Ford’s Chennai manufacturing plant, form an increasingly important part of the company’s product line-up. Ford expects that by 2020, demand for small vehicles will account for more than 60% of the automobile market globally, and Asia Pacific and Africa about half global industry volume.

Ford will be adding a new manufacturing facility and an engine plant in Sanand to complement existing production in Chennai. The plant will boast of an annual production capacity of 440,000 vehicles and 610,000 engines.